MPs resume the debate over HS2, as many Tory MPs prepare to rebel and Transport
Secretary Patrick McLoughlin promises that opponents will not be dismissed
as nimbies

Yesterday the Commons once again debated HS2. One of the objections to HS2 from dissenting MPs is that building it will spoil our beautiful countryside. The spoiling of our beautiful countryside, of course, has long been a concern of proud patriots. Investigation of the Telegraph’s archive throws up the following letter to the editor, dated April 29, 1068.

“SIR – It was bad enough when the Romans came over here, spoiling our beautiful countryside with their ‘roads’, ‘aqueducts’, ‘towns’ and ‘paved streets’.

“However, I draw the line at the latest monstrous innovation inflicted by the Normans on, to coin a phrase, England’s green and pleasant land. I refer to that ghastly white elephant, the ‘castle’.

“No one could call me a luddite or a nimby, not least because neither of those terms exists yet. I accept that progress is necessary if we are to compete in the modern world, or at any rate the Middle Ages. That is why I have always been prepared to tolerate such man-made eyesores as the ‘hedge’.

“But not only are ‘castles’ ugly, their economic benefits to local communities are at best dubious. Hovel prices in my area have plummeted.

The fight against HS2 is just as fierce, as yesterday’s debate in the Commons showed. The debate was led by Patrick McLoughlin, the Transport Secretary. At the weekend, Andrew Bridgen (Con, NW Leics) described HS2 as “toxic” for his party. Sportingly, Mr McLoughlin read aloud Mr Bridgen’s views. There were, he said, bits he agreed with and bits he didn’t.

“Patrick McLoughlin is an excellent Cabinet minister,” read Mr McLoughlin, indicating in parenthesis that this was a bit he agreed with. “If you have a difficult bill to push through Parliament, Patrick is your man. If the PM wanted a Herod bill, Patrick would be the man to see it through Parliament.”

This last claim is of course absurd. The Herod bill will be the preserve of the Health Secretary.

Mr Bridgen rose and elaborated on his criticisms. “Because of HS2,” he snapped, “many people will go to their graves trapped in houses they can’t sell!” What a thought. Imagine going to your grave trapped in a house. You’d need an enormous coffin.

Opponents, a great many of them Tories, carried on their struggle long into the night. “The business case does not stack up,” cried Christopher Pincher (Tamworth). “It’s misguided,” sighed Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight). “It degrades the landscape,” complained Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford). “Some parts of the country will take all the pain but get none of the pain,” thundered Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham). The former deputy chief whip, Sir John Randall, said HS2 was as important as issue to him as Iraq; by opposing it he was “putting my country first”.

What a lot of Tory rebellion. The Government must be looking forward to the Herod bill, it’ll probably get an easier ride.